Notebook: Thunder 119, Warriors 116

Posted Wednesday February 8, 2012 2:26AM

By Geoff Lepper, for NBA.com

THE FACTS: Kevin Durant scored 33 points, including a go-ahead bucket with 14.2 seconds remaining, and added 10 rebounds and seven assists as the Oklahoma City Thunder overcame huge performances from Monta Ellis and David Lee to beat the Golden State Warriors 119-116 Tuesday night. Durant and Russell Westbrook (31 points, seven assists) combined for 35 points in the second half as the Thunder erased a 12-point deficit in the final 17:07 to improve to a league-best 20-5. Ellis' career-high 48 points -- tied with Kobe Bryant for the most by an NBA player this season -- went by the boards, as did Lee's first triple-double with Golden State: 25 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists.

QUOTABLE: "It was a great game. It was a great game for the fans. It was not the way we anticipated it (unfolding) going into the game, but sometimes you have to win in different ways, and our guys never gave up."
-- Thunder coach Scott Brooks

THE STAT: After shooting nearly 60 percent through the first three quarters, Golden State's offense came off the rails in the fourth as Oklahoma City tightened up its defense. The Warriors shot 7-for-18 (38.9 percent) from the floor and committed six of their 15 turnovers on the evening.

TURNING POINT: Durant was the first to admit it: He wasn't looking to go glass with his 18-foot jumper from the left side of the key with the game in the balance. But after popping free on Oklahoma City's inbounds play, the Thunder's leading scorer was still able to bank home a shot that gave his team a 117-116 lead.

QUOTABLE II: "No, I did not (mean to bank it). It's one of those things where you shoot it and you're like, 'Aw, that's a terrible shot.' When it went in, I was kind of surprised."
-- Durant

GOOD MOVE: When the Thunder beat the Warriors 120-109 at Oracle Arena on Jan. 27, Brooks played two big men for the entire game and it paid off handsomely on the glass: Oklahoma City outrebounded Golden State 53-34, including 19 offensive boards that led to 19 second-chance points. Tuesday, with Kendrick Perkins representing an utter liability -- four turnovers in the first 4:47 of the third quarter -- Brooks went with only one big man the rest of the way, splitting time between Serge Ibaka and Nick Collison, and the Thunder poured home 55 points over the final 18:46.

HOT: Ellis was simply unstoppable through the first three quarters, when he had 40 points on 15-for-23 shooting, including a dazzling array of twisting, circus shots that might have swayed some on-the-fence voters, if only the ballots for All-Star reserves hadn't already been collected. Ellis had an open look at cracking the 50-point barrier on the Warriors' next-to-last possession when his pick-and-roll action with Lee left Ellis with an open 3-pointer, but the ball clanged off iron with 4.9 seconds to go. Nevertheless, Ellis raised his scoring average to 22.6 points, up from 21.3 coming into Tuesday.

QUOTABLE III: "He was outstanding. That's who he is. He's a primetime guy who comes in and plays well. He had it rolling early and often, all the way to the last buzzer. That's what we expect from him. He's an All-Star in my book."
-- Warriors guard Stephen Curry, discussing Ellis' game

FANTASY SPOTLIGHT: Lee had a relatively quiet first half, scoring only six points, but he erupted in the second, with 19 points and just enough rebounds and assists to complete his second career triple-double. The Warriors were involved in Lee's earlier triple-double as well; he went for 37 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists against Golden State for the New York Knicks on April 2, 2010.

INSIDE THE ARENA: There was a brief delay before the start of the fourth quarter as Warriors staff tried to manually adjust the scoreboard to reflect the correct score of 93-91, Golden State. However, the board -- which read 93-92 Warriors after the Thunder were mistakenly credited with three points on a two-point basket -- would not roll back. Oklahoma City's score remained a point ahead of its true level until James Harden hit a pair of free throws 45 seconds into the quarter.

NOTABLE: Lee's triple-double was the first by a Warriors power forward since Chris Webber hung 22 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists on the Los Angeles Clippers on Dec. 23, 1993. ... The last Warriors triple-double prior to Tuesday was Stephen Curry going for 36 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists against the Clippers on Feb. 10, 2010. Curry finished with 16 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds Tuesday. ... Harden had 19 points and seven assists for Oklahoma City. ... Warriors guard Nate Robinson did not dress after suffering a strained left groin Saturday against Sacramento. ... Thunder guard Thabo Sefolosha missed his fifth consecutive game with right foot soreness. ... The Warriors had 35 points in the first quarter, their best opening period this season.

UP NEXT: For the Warriors, Thursday @ Denver, Sunday vs. Houston, Monday vs. Phoenix. For the Thunder, Thursday @ Sacramento, Friday @ Utah, Tuesday vs. Utah.